First female four-star general retires from the Army

“The first woman to serve as a fourstar general in both the Army and the U.S. armed forces, Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody retired today after nearly 38 years in uniform.

“Ann is a leader who lived our Army values, who always led from the front, who dedicated herself to the profession of arms,” said Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Ray Odierno, who hosted the retirement. “In my mind, Ann Dunwoody is the epitome of the Army professional.”

Dunwoody joined the Army in 1974, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Women’s Army Corps in 1975. Her first assignment was as supply platoon leader, 226th Maintenance Company (Forward, Direct Support), 100th Supply and Services Battalion (Direct Support), Fort Sill, Okla. Since then, she’s served at every level of command.

“ Her true legacy and reward will be the thousands of Soldiers and civilians whose lives she has touched through the span of her career,” Odierno said during a ceremony at Summerall Field at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va., near the Pentagon.

Most recently, Dunwoody served as commander of the Army Materiel Command, one of the largest commands in the Army. The command employs more than 69,000 employees across all 50 states and 145 countries.

“It was Ann’s most recent role, as commander of the AMC, in which she unified global logistics in a way [that has never] been done, “ Odierno said. “She capitalized AMC’s fundamental logistics functions to maximize the efficiency and services they provided — of supply, maintenance, contact support, research and development, base and installation support, and deployment and distribution. She connected AMC not only to the Army, but ensured the joint force was always ready and supplied as well.”

Odierno assured Dunwoody that she has left a mark on the Army — and changed it for the better.”

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